Discipline Policy

All discipline policies are referenced in the Niagara Falls School District’s “Regulations for Implementing Board Policies On School Discipline Codes in the Niagara Falls Public Schools”. Anyone who does not have a copy of this handbook is welcome to stop by the school and pick up a copy.

Children must learn a number of laws (rules), procedures, and routines in order to become successful members of society. Our goal is to develop self-disciplined students. Students, parents and all school personnel must work together to obtain this goal.

Teachers will be working with students to develop class rules, procedures and routines during the first week practiced throughout the school year. Students who experience difficulty following these rules, etc. are given additional assistance in the development of self-discipline.

5. Referral to building administrator or START team for additional assistance and follow-up parent conference.

6. Chronic and/or serious problems may result in suspension from school.

SUSPENSION: Students may be suspended from school for the following reasons:

1. If they are insubordinate (disobey school rules and/or reasonable requests of school personnel).

2. If they are disorderly, or if their conduct otherwise endangers the safety, morals, health or welfare of others.

3. If their physical or mental condition endangers the health, safety or morals or themselves or other minors.

STUDENT APPEARANCE CODE OF THE

NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Niagara Falls School Community believes that students’ appearance should at all times be neat, clean, and appropriate for school and school functions. The students’ individual dress and appearance is primarily the responsibility of the student and his/her parents. The students’ appearance should be clean and neat, and should not be a distraction to other members of the school community, nor a safety or health risk to the student or others.

The following minimal standards are enforced:

1. Headgear should not be worn in the building, except for a religious or medical exemption.

2. Footwear must be worn at all times. Hazardous footwear (flip-flops, shoes with heels, backless or open-toed shoes) will not be allowed. NO HEELIES will be allowed.

3. All underwear must be completely covered with outer clothing, and all apparel should be fastened appropriately and worn as designed.

4. Above the waist apparel must cover all of one’s person except the arms and a modest opening at the neck, and may not be of transparent materials. Blouses, shirts and sweaters are to cover shoulders, back, chest and stomach.

6. Sleeveless team jerseys cannot be worn, except over a t-shirt with sleeves.

7. All fashions should be no more than three inches above the top of the knee when the student is in a standing position.

8. If a student chooses to wear layered fashions, each and all layers should comply with the student appearance code.

9. All articles which advertise, display, or represent items depicting such themes as alcoholic beverages, tobacco, items with abusive, suggestive, controversial, or gang-related themes are prohibited.

10. All articles that carry messages that are suggestive, vulgar, obscene, libelous or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability are prohibited.

12. During the school day, all coats, hats, jackets, scarves, backpacks, gym bags, walkmans, radios, cellular telephones, beepers, and other electronic equipment of any kind are to be kept in lockers. (Exception: gym bags may be carried to and from gym class.)

13. Any other mode of dress or personal appearance not covered by the above which is dangerous, disruptive, distracting and/or disturbing to the progress of the educational program or activity is prohibited.

Students who violate the Student Appearance Code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item. Students who are unable to do so shall be retained for the remainder of the day or until a parent or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school.

Students who refuse to comply with the Student Appearance Code shall be subject to discipline, up to and including in-school suspension for the day. Any student who repeatedly fails to comply with the Student Appearance Code shall be subject to further discipline, up to and including out-of-school suspension.